How It All Began...

Back in the late 70s, I was a "special art" student at Stafford Elementary School in Virginia. My teacher, Mrs. Campbell, had us make a ceramic project. Mine was a coiled, hand-built "yellow" (see story below) planter that cracked horribly across the bottom. (I'm sure my mom loved it anyway, right Mom?!?)

Thus began my pottery career.

Ready to demonstrate at the Goochland Farmer's Market, October 2008.

Bama Bisque

At the University of Alabama I needed an easy elective. I decided "Ceramics 101" was it, after all it was so much fun in elementary school! It was a humbling experience to have this class be one of the most challenging, but it was also extremely rewarding. Tom Barnes introduced me to the exacting standards of fine pottery and I was hooked. And to this day, Tom guides, inspires and encourages me in my clay pursuits.

Big D

I continued my pottery education in Dallas, under the tutelage of Michael Obranovich. He is one hell of a hard-working potter and taught me a lot about the business. I helped him fire his gas kiln and I mixed his glazes (not paint). He freely shares his time and expertise, just now it's all over the phone.

Check out  www.obranovichpottery.com

Paint it Ain't

When I was in Mrs. Campbell's elementary art class, she asked us to pick a glaze color for our pieces. I wanted my planter to be yellow. When she handed me the jar of glaze, inside was a bland gray liquid. Thus started a memorable Abbot and Costello-like  scene: "But I want it to be yellow." "It will be yellow. This is glaze, not paint." "But it's gray and I want it to be yellow." "This is yellow. It's glaze. NOT PAINT." And so on...it was almost too much for my 8 or 9 year old brain to handle. Magically, the gray goop transformed into the bright, sunny yellow I had hoped for.

Thank you, Mrs. Campbell for your patience and for introducing me to the magic of pottery!